5 Things To Know About GMOs This World Environment Day

Recognizing Two Decades of Biotechnology in Agriculture: Measuring the Economic and Environmental Benefits of GM Crops

Since 1974, the United Nations has hosted World Environment Day annually on June 5 — the organization’s most important day to inspire action and awareness for the protection of our environment. Since its inception, World Environment Day has grown to a global platform for public outreach that is celebrated widely in over 100 countries around the world. Each World Environment Day is organized around a theme that focuses attention on a particularly pressing environmental concern. The theme for 2017 is connecting people to nature.

As we think about this year’s theme, what closer connection do we have to nature than the food we eat?

Today, a new report was released that outlines the dramatic economic and environmental benefits of biotechnology in agriculture over the past 20 years. The 2017 PG Economics study found that crop biotechnology has significantly reduced agriculture’s environmental impact and contributed to preserving the earth’s natural resources, while boosting the global economy by allowing farmers to grow more, high-quality crops. GMO Answers took a closer look at the study, and found five key takeaways on how GMOs benefit our environment and the economy:

1. Reduce Agriculture’s Environmental Impact

According to the report, GM crops have helped farmers adopt more sustainable practices that have significantly reduced agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions. These practices include reduced tillage, a farming practice that decreases the burning of fossil fuels to retain more carbon in the soil. The report concludes that without biotech crops in 2015, an additional 26.7 billion kg (58.9 billion lbs) of carbon dioxide would have entered the atmosphere — the equivalence of adding more than 11.9 million cars to the road!

2. Help Conserve Land & Contribute To Global Food Security

Biotech crops allow farmers to grow more without using additional land. The report found that in 2015, farmers would have needed to plant an additional 8.4 million hectares (20.8 million acres) of soybeans, 7.4 million hectares (18.3 million acres) of corn, 3 million hectares (7.4 million acres) of cotton, and 0.7 million hectares (1.7 million acres) of canola without the use of crop biotechnology — totaling the equivalent of needing 11 percent of the arable land in the United States.

America since 2013 are providing farmers with an average 9.6 percent yield improvement through reduced pest damage. In Argentina, farmers are utilizing HT technology to improve weed control, allowing them to grow and reap benefits from an additional soybean crop after wheat in the same growing season.

4. Support Improved Livelihoods

Especially in developing countries, crop biotechnology helps farmers provide better lives for themselves and their families by earning higher incomes with increased crop yields. The study reported that in 2015, the net farm level economic benefit was $15.5 billion, or an increased income of about $90/hectare ($36/acre), and from 1996 to 2015, global farm incomes increased $167.7 billion.

5. Contribute To Global Economic Success

For over two decades, crop biotechnology continues to be a good investment for millions of farmers around the world. In 2015, farmers paid $6.3 billion to leverage crop biotechnology, a number equal to 29 percent of the total gains of $21.8 billion. Globally, for each extra dollar invested in biotech crop seeds, farmers earned an average extra $3.45. This technology is particularly important in developing countries, where farmers received $5.15 for each extra dollar invested in biotech crop seeds. This study is further proof that biotechnology will continue to be a valuable asset not only to the farming community, but the global environment and economy. Have questions about the study or GMOs? Visit GMOAnswers.com to learn more.

GMOs can affect the environment in many ways, and this response discusses the many ways in which GMOs can benefit the environment and the impact GM crops have on the environment. The data in this response from Brookes and Barfoot is from 2013, updated information can be found in their most recent report here.
Additionally, these infographics are helpful in explaining how GMOs can help preserve the habitat and H2O, protect the environment and improve soil health.
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The topic of labeling can be discussed in many different ways. We hope the below information on labeling GM food addresses your question.
The issue of GMO labeling, the consumer choice and logistical impacts of labeling genetically engineered food is discussed in this response.
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